Video Essentials

Video Marketing to Multi-Platform Viewers

Video marketers need to consider that their viewers aren’t watching on just one platform or device. That’s the message behind “Marketing to the Multi-Platform Majority,” a research paper recently released from comScore. To reach customers as effectively as possible, marketers need to know where they are and how their viewing habits are changing.

U.S. adults now spend 49 percent of their online time on a desktop or notebook computer, 39 percent on a smartphone, and 12 percent on a tablet, reports comScore. That means over half of people’s time is on mobile devices. This marks a huge change from only 5 years ago, when mobile surfing barely charted. The report shows that multiplatform behavior is growing every month.

Understanding how people use mobile devices is crucial for online video, advertising, and commerce, says comScore. Metrics that focus on desktop views miss the significant number of people who only visit a site on mobile devices. The report says that for the 100 top online properties, 31 percent of visitors only view content on tablets or smartphones. Some sites, such as Zynga and Groupon, and visited far more often on mobile than desktop.

Marketing to multiple platforms lets companies target their desired audiences more efficiently, says comScore. Meeting video advertising reach and frequency goals can be often be done with much less expense by adding in desktop and mobile video viewers. The report sites one consumer goods brand that grew its reach by 12 percent by adding online video and display ads to its TV campaign.

Online video advertising is especially useful when trying to reach a younger demographic. ComScore notes that 18- to 34-year-olds don’t watch as much TV as other groups, but are heavy desktop and mobile video viewers. Adding these platforms to a campaign can help marketers reach their goals.